Central defender Carlos Valdes is back with the Philadelphia Union after nearly a year and a half away from the team just in time for Philadelphia to make a big push to the postseason. Valdes and the Union have agreed on a multi-year deal that will allow Valdes to remain with the club moving forward.
Valdes originally joined the Union back in 2011 and was a very large reason that the club made that year’s MLS playoffs, which was a first for the club. Valdes became a leader for Philadelphia’s defense that was second in goals against average and also had ten shutouts during that incredible campaign. The crowning achievement during that season was that the defense only allowed their opponents an average of 3.05 shots on goal which still stands as a record for Major League Soccer.
Valdes earned the honor of representing the Union during the 2012 MLS All-Star Game and continued to enjoy great success with the club throughout that season. Early in 2013, Valdes confided to the club that he would like to represent his country of Colombia during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and that he wanted to return home to begin his quest to earn a spot on the club. Philadelphia granted his request and he was loaned to Independiente Santa Fe to begin his journey in fulfilling a lifelong dream.
The 2013 season was a busy season for Valdes as he made thirty-two appearances for his new club while starting five matches for Colombia during qualifying for the World Cup. Santa Fe loaned Valdes to the Argentina Club San Lorenzo in early 2014 in which he made seven appearances before departing for Brazil with the rest of the Colombian National Team.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was a fantastic tournament for Colombia as they captured the hearts of soccer fans worldwide. Valdes was an instrumental part of the team going 3-0 in group play and advancing to the quarterfinals, which was a first for the country. Colombia eventually would fall to Brazil, however they made a massive impact on the soccer world during this year’s World Cup.
Philadelphia believes that this is the right time to bring in a defender of Carlos Valdes’ stature as this is a critical point in the season for the Union if they are going to make a serious run at the playoffs. As of right now, Philadelphia sits in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, however, only three points behind the Columbus Crew who hold the fifth and final playoff spot. The next three games are very pivotal for the Union if they have any chance at a post-season. Two of the next three opponents are also looking at making a run at the playoffs: the Montreal Impact and the Houston Dynamo. F.C. Dallas is currently sits in playoff contention in the Western Conference and could pose a threat to the Union’s goal of returning to the playoffs. These next three weeks are going to be exciting for the Sons of Ben as they hope their club’s newest acquisition proves to be the miracle worker as he was in 2011.
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